Chapter 2 A Weakness Night

Chapter 2: A Weakness Night

Melissa's POV

As the pack celebrated their most recent triumph, the vast hall was alive with cheers and laughing. The clinking of glasses and lively conversation blended with the scent of grilled meat and pricey wine. I moved through the crowd with a tray of beverages, being cautious not to attract any attention.

"Hey, Melissa! I froze when a voice barked. One of the older pack members, Mrs. Helena, was there. Her lips curled into a sneer as she cast a scornful glance at me. "Your pace is excessively slow. Do you want to slack off while I go hungry?"

I lowered my head and sped up my steps, muttering, "Sorry."

I overheard bits of talk while I served beverages.

Have you heard anything about Kane's partner? One woman murmured.

Indeed. He turned her down. Is it not unbelievable?"

"Who is to blame? She is merely an omega's daughter and nothing more.

Even though the words hurt, I bit my lip and continued. The agony and searing humiliation from last night were still present. Kane had publicly rejected me after declaring me his mate.

He was seated at the head table with a glass of whiskey in his hand when I looked across the room. His piercing blue eyes had a stormy intensity, and his jaw was tightened. He glanced... restless.

Darker than the night outside, Kane drank a lot. I hurriedly averted my gaze to concentrate on the task at hand, but there was something about him that made my chest clench.

Almost midnight had come when we met. When Kane entered my area, I had just set an empty tray on the counter. The air between us was heavy and oppressive due to his enormous size.

"You're avoiding me," he stated in a rough, low voice.

I tensed up, avoiding eye contact. "Kane, what do you want?"

He took hold of my arm and dragged me to a private area of the banquet hall. He held on tight but not painfully.

"Observe me," he insisted.

I reluctantly raised my gaze to his. I couldn't quite name it, but his expression was a combination of rage and something more.

He ran a hand through his dark hair and murmured, "I don't understand you." "What made you the Moon Goddess' choice? Of all individuals.

I felt like I was slapped across the face by the words. "Kane, I didn't request this bond. Do you believe I desired rejection? Feeling ashamed? I had no other option.

His rage swiftly returned after his eyes had softened. "You have ties to the individuals who destroyed my family. How am I supposed to trust you? How am I going to accept you?"

My eyes pinched with tears, but I held back. "Kane, I'm not my parents. Your family wasn't destroyed by me. However, you-your rejection has ruined me.

We were silent for a time. Like a live wire, the tension between us crackled.

His voice was hardly audible above a whisper as he confessed, "I can't get you out of my head."

I wasn't sure whether the tug of the mate link, anger, or despair was causing my heart to race. I whispered, "Then stop fighting it."

Kane's hand touched mine as his eyes clouded. The contact sent thrills down my spine as sparks erupted.

Later that evening, neither of us was able to resist the mate link. Anger, bewilderment, and desire were all there in Kane's eyes as he guided me to his private space.

I responded, "You're making a mistake," but my voice wavered with doubt.

He said in a harsh voice, "Maybe I am, but I don't care right now."

The night passed in a blur of feelings and experiences. My veins felt like they were burning with each touch and kiss. I allowed myself to think that perhaps, just possibly, there was hope for us.

However, the illusion was destroyed when the first rays of morning appeared through the window.

Kane was standing by the door, looking aloof and icy. "Nothing changed last night," he stated in an emotionless voice.

Clinging to the blanket, I sat up and said, "You're just going to leave?"

He stared at the floor without responding. Then he left without saying anything else, leaving me crushed and alone once more.

When my father called me to his study that night, I hadn't even had time to digest it. The tension in the air increased as soon as I entered.

"Sit," he commanded in a stern and icy tone.

With a sinking heart, I obeyed. Selene stood next to him with a smug expression on her face, as though she already knew how this encounter would turn out.

My father folded his hands on the tabletop and said, "We've made a decision." "Alpha Damon of the Silverhowl Pack will be your spouse."

His remarks struck me like a lightning strike. "What? No! This is not possible!"

He stated in an unarguable tone, "It's for the good of the Ambersy Pack." "Alpha Damon is strong, and this partnership will help us."

"You're treating me like a pawn in your sale! With a cracked voice, I yelled. "I am your daughter!"

Selene interrupted, her voice brimming with contempt, "You're nothing but a burden." "We're allowing you to be helpful, so you should be thankful."

With desperation in my eyes, I turned to face my father. Don't do this, please. I-I am unable to wed him.

With a sweep of his hand, he dismissed my request and stated, "You don't have a choice." "The plans have been set up."

I fought back tears as my chest heaved. Nothing I could do would change the fact that they had already decided my fate.

My mind was racing with fury and dread as I walked out of the study. The idea of being bonded to Alpha Damon, who was notoriously brutal, made me shudder.

However, one idea stood out above the others: I needed to figure out how to get out of this.

Melissa's heart was heavy with dread as she stood in the dimly lit hallway. She had been driven to the brink by her father's treachery and Kane's rejection. However, a spark of resolve burned within her as her mind swirled with rage and dread.

She muttered to herself, "They're wrong if they believe they can control my life." "I'll find a way to defend myself." I must.

A pair of piercing blue eyes observed her receding figure from the darkness. With his hands clenched at his sides, Kane had a troubled expression. He was unable to ignore the raging storm inside his heart, regardless of how he felt.